On days like this...

The rain never fails to amaze me. On days like this, when it pours and pours relentlessly, and the sound of rain drops thudding maks me calm, and all I want to do is watch the rain sliding off my umbrella while I walk home, nevermind that the hems of my jeans are soaked, shoes ruined. Back home, all I want to do then is listen to the rain. It's always there, this comforting sound in the background. It's not a distinct sound, but then, that's why it's so soothing I think, to hear the rain, when it is a sound that is so familiar at this time of the year, and particularly for the last couple of weeks.

Then, while all is calm and tranquil, you are all of a sudden astounded by the little everyday things that you never see normally... I don't know why it fascinated me, but watching little runnels and trickles of water flowing down the partially dry tree trunk was just...amazing to watch, especially when as you walk on, and the rain continues to pour, the trees you walk past are increasingly soaked, and the trunks turn a darker brown where the rain water has touched it.

I wonder why the rain makes me feel this way...lol. I guess I'm just weird on this point - haha. to think I'm fascinated with stemflow.

DVD players!

Turns out the fault might be my player... At least the HMV people were nice enough to give me a new DVD...

Utterly devastated

OK...not really. I am not reduced to tears of frustration and despair yet. I just bought a Howl's Moving Castle DVD from HMV (yes..yes indulgence) and there is somethig wrong with the sound. Can't HEAR a single word half way through the movie (damn it). Kicked the well...something and stubbed several toes and 1 knee. Walked drenching in the rain which by some infernal coincidence starting pouring as soon as I left the general warmth and safety of a snug home to my grandma's to borrow her DVD player and see if it's just the disc or the player's fault. Apparently Howl and gang likes my grandma's DVD player. WhenI came home from gran's... it behaved before I went for dinner, and when I came home...it died again. I feel like suing somebody.

Tomorrow, I'm going to have it changed. I think the alternative title to this post should be 'Murphy's Law strikes'. Ugh.

By the way...I read Christopher Priest's book entitled 'The Prestige'. It's a bit slow, and really complicated (or maybe my illogical brain just dun get the clues) but it is also downright creepy. I kinda liked it...a rather more intellectual read...but hey...I thought it's rather nice. I do not hog em. If you wanna borrow them you'll have to hop down to a library and stake it out or you can just borrow them from me and return it on time. =p. Does me a favour anyway - returning it for me. By the way, 'The Prestige' is Christopher Nolan's next film er...after the Batman sequel or before it I dunno, so those of you who liked Batman Begins, maybe it'll be nice to read up on his next film...

Lights...Camera...Walkway

The stage is set.

Twelve contestants will compete to be the three finalists...and the winner gets all he/she needs to start his/her own fashion label.

Yup. If you don't still get what I'm driving at...forget it. You probably don't watch Project Runway and/or you live on a planet where the words 'runway' and 'catwalk' don't exist. It doesn't really matter if the words don't exist in your sphere. They hardly registered in mine.
So...this post is rather belated as I've only started watching PR like...three days ago on Monday. I caught a glimpse of the sci-fi episode and nothing more since then till now. Well I guess what caught my attention was dear ol' Wendy. The crazy bitch. More or less. Haha. Not really...the 'special episode' where they got back all the booted out contestants (all 9 of 'em) showed that apart from possessing a generally cool and calm head, Wendy (er..can't remember last names) is remarkably composed (COULD have been scripted of course - there is no reality in reality tv) and answered questions not vindictively (as expected) but logically and fairly. It doesn't help if the fellow she had a hand in booting out kept nodding his head as if in agreement with what she said. Having said that...Austin is just weird. What's with that hat and cape ensemble??? He looked like he was getting ready for some cosplay event. Or possibly an audition for the role of Count Dracula + Edward Scissorhands, which is a role I assume he created himself.

Right...enough of all those insults (some ppl can't help being a fop right? Or a bitch for that matter...) and let's get on to the proper comments. Project Runway, like most reality tv shows...aim to get the most varied and colourful of personalities together and pit them against each other in various tasks. Oh joy. A modern day gladiator fight, without the gore of course - gore became unfashionable after WWII. Funny how they like to portray the contestants as bitter rivals underneath a veneer of encouraging smiles and camaderie. The idea is far more ancient than you think. People are merely fighting with their minds rather than brute strength, scissors instead of swords. This goes back to how everyone seems to despise Wendy. Most are convinced she got into the final 3 by sheer backstabbing and strategy, and not by talent. Admittedly, her designs are rather dull compared to Jay's flamboyance or Cara Saun's well balanced designs that mix practicality with creativity (I like Cara Saun..most steady character in final 3)

Admittedly my views may be biased since I've watched like 1 and 1/2 episodes only. Then again, even if I've watched the entire series I'll probably still be biased.

P.S. I've just finished reading the latest in the Artemis Fowl series - 'Opal Deception'. Having completed it, I think I still enjoy 'The Eternity Code' better.

Sparkle!

Cleaned the windows today (it was fun!) I can also snoop on ex-school. The council is having a field day. Poor poor 1st 3 mths intakers. The nice wind blowing in from the windows helped a lot.

Tis the Day before 2006!

Ah...the last day of the year. Wonder what thoughts there are out there. Some will be reflecting on the year gone by (and what lovely reflections these are), others will be planning tonight's party wardrobe and some will just be bumming around, being immune to time. I hope that for all my friends out there, today will be a bit of all 3 - we need our memories - both the good and bad ones, a little of the present (the wardrobe?! and friends and family) and well, the sense of preserving ourselves for the future. What I mean is, may we all change for the better but not resolve to change so much. Oh I know about New Year's resolutions - don't they never work...because we bum around not really bothering to change them. I guess that while time flies by (less than 24 hrs to 2006 & counting) we don't change with the year. For those who still keep up the tradition of making resolutions, kudos to you. May urs be practiced daily. Guess I envy those who can and do make their resolutions reality and at the same time be amazed how improving themselves don't make them any diff - it's like being new and improved while keeping the old functions. It's what u say to old friends I suppose.

Yesterday, I went to Jusco in JB. It was my 1st shopping trip to M'asia. Hah. That makes me a real Singaporean then doesn't it, getting into the nation's hobby? Some will say I'm mad - where've you been ALL those years? You've ONLY started shopping in JB NOW??? Well..."there" wasn't remarkably interesting (like Giant or Carrefour lor) and neither was "back again" (you can see Senoko Power Station!) The most interesting bit would have to be "between" - the electric cables overhead, the marshy river mouth with white egrets and fishing boats, the kampungs, the grungy streets intersected by vast green emptiness. I imagine that would have been what Singapore would look like if we had the physical space. Yup, JB is a lot like the opp side of the causeway...right down to the architecture and shrubbery along road sides.

However, that was yesterday, and today's already arrived. I hope you all have had a wonderful year. Makes me think back about the past year - BBQs, OZ - tht wonderful nightmare, school, the A's and all the roulette sweets we ate as well as M&Ms spelling ;), all my tutors (drama included obviously), and the smoke inhaled in all our said BBQs.
And of course 04A2 (how could I forget em?).

Between me and my Shadow

The land of Earthsea is brutal. They eat salt fish and waybread (not lembas, which is the elven kind) most of the time. The book reminds me of the voyage of the Dawn Treader, which is a Chronicle of Narnia. The book is also a lot like LOTR, especially in the matter of names. However, the book also feels rather anti-feminist to me, since the "good guys" have this deep mistrust of the fairer sex. I suppose this has to do with their history.

Sell it or shoot it

WARNING. SPOILERS AHEAD FOR KING KONG - THE MOVIE BY PETER JACKSON




That seems to be the tragedy behind King Kong... Well, like they always say there is always that comment on the human condition and I guess it is what you would call "normal behaviour" in sight of an enormous mystery right in the midst of New York...Well, that and the very idea of a lost island off the coast of Indonesia. The only plausible thing about that ludicrous idea is that it is the 1930s and it is very easy to miscount the number of islands when Indonesia has so many to its name...(its an archipelago).

However, when the original Kong film was made way back then, the 1930s wasn't a distant past, nor was Indonesia's numerous islands a matter. Personally, I am quite dubious whether the original producers even knew what Indonesia looked like on the map. That said, you can imagine what my initial reaction to the film was. A show with a blonde helpless wench who screams her head off and look scandalous. A really fake looking gorilla. A highly inaccurate portrayal of the said gorilla as an emotionless, mindless excuse to rampage through civilisation - Arrgghh. Big hairy beast meets metal skyscraper! Help. Faint. Pls don't ever wake up and scream some more...

Mercifully, Peter Jackson's rendition of the film was unexpectedly entertaining. There were in-jokes, really spastic bits, wit and high adventure. I particularly liked the scene on the boat, when Jack Driscoll (played by Adrien Brody) was in his temporary cabin (an apt location - a cage) typing away at a screenplay. I would think all scriptwriters in the world would sympathise with the scene. It clearly symbolises the stress of scriptwriting and the idea of being chained to deadlines and your work. For Driscoll, that chain transcends the virtual world and in fact serves as a bridge to the reel world reality of the movie.

Some things however, never change. Human avarice for one still exists today. One may say that greed and an exhibitionist streak has led us in the present to echo the mistakes of our past. The exploitative nature of tourism still exists today. Oh sure, the audience who gawked at Kong were comfortable in their own home country, and Kong in the 30s is a fictitious idea. However, the original idea of capturing a wild beast, a savage, and transforming it into a money spinner was conceived way back then, and touring creatures about IS tourist money...

Despite initial strong misgivings about the film, King Kong has turned out to be a fantastic show, unlike some other film where initial doubts were not alayed by watching it. You know what I'm talking about...just envision battered spaceships and light sabers. To cinclude - A thrilling circus act, brilliant cast and definitely NOT your typical jungle adventure.

Finches, Mockingbirds and Haiku

I read To Kill a Mockingbird yesterday and today. I haven't finished it yet...but at least I'm almost there. Funny how I liked it more than I did at Sec 4... At Sec 4 I couldn't stand Scout (always fighting) but now I don't know, maybe after two years of Persuasion and Shakespeare made reading it easier. I had fun with it...go read it too if you haven't. It's a lovely book, very innocent and rambling since it is through the eyes of a nine year old child. Children have a way of rambling when they want to say something lengthy, thus making it even lengthier. What I mean to say is they tend to put in what they found important, and what many adults tend not to notice. It's regrettable. It's the great educators of literature like Atticus who transcend the mores of their time to create the unforgettable personalities we read. Somehow, his hands off policy reminds me of the Tomoe Headmaster in Toto-chan. I liked the book too, only I had deep misgivings about anyone recalling their childhood in such great detail. However, I'm not complaining that much...Tetsuko Kuroyanagi's childhood is an eye opener...which reminds us that children are not as stupid as they sometimes seem.

Saturday Shopping Extraordinaire!

It has come to my conclusion, after a day's first hand observation and hands-on participation of Saturday Shopping that such an activity should only be undertaken if one is of unsound mind and wish for a tortuous death. One, in fact, may also coincidentally meet up with one's distant relations. However, such an incident may or may not count as a proper coincidence, given the physical constraints of our sunny island. While such an experience can be described by some as a somewhat pleasing experience, others say otherwise. The latter's reaction can only be attributed as a natural reaction to the infamous polite interrogation that distant relations are known for, seemingly worldwide. However, I digress. The endeavour that I've undertaken is in fact dedicated to a clinical analysis of shopping in Orchard Road on Saturday.

One of my first observations of the occasion is that of Queueing. Our first stop of the day was lunch at Far East Plaza. It is noted that we would need the sustenance for this rather exhaustive affair. The first thing that was observed was that upon arrival at the Japanese restaurant (of which I had absolutely no hand in coming to such a decision), we were immediately follow by an ever increasing crowd that promptly formed itself into an impromtu queue line outside the restaurant, which only opens at 12 noon. We enjoyed a lunch that would miraculously last the terrors of the afternoon. The rest of the afternoon can only be described as being spent being pushed, trodded on and trampled flat by the excited crowd.

Allow me to retrace our steps after the lunch. We walked round most of Far East Plaza, at which I seized the opportunity to purchase a nice jacket and dress. We then made our way to Tangs which provided THE season's decor - a walkway of lingerie decked dummies with artisically enhanced feather masks - for that extra....seasonality, and which converged into a finale in the form of an "Arabian Nights" (how apt and unique!) curtained tent for the relieving of anguished souls and tired feet, complete with MORE lingerie clad dummies. However, with every pro there is the con - everyone's tastes differ.

On a personal NOTE: It honestly looked nice, except for the festive lingerie.

The rest of the time was spent at Paragon where we met the said distant relations and had tea with them, and then on across the road (a mad dash!) to Takashimaya where the crowd was the worst, before moving on to Food Republic @ Wisma, which was worse than worst.

Here, we have the second observation of the day. When shopping, particularly at the end of a long, dreary and tiring Saturday, one is particularly susceptible to hunger pangs. By now, the world weary Shopping veteran would adopt a more patient "wait and see" stance. However, this by no means is a sign of slowing down. On the other hand, this "wait and see" strategy is not to be executed by those with slower reaction speeds. One must at all times remain alert for a vacant seat, and act with choice decisiveness and appropriate aggressiveness. By now, tired and hungry, most are teetering to their ends and would do what they can to snare a seat. This form of behaviour, is not without it's fair imitation in the world of animals - in fact there is a startling likeness to the behaviour of an unruly pack of vultures on the verge of starvation.

The way home was nondescript. We even got seats on the train.

The experience of Saturday Shopping in the heart of Shopping here can be concluded as thus: the undertaking of such an activity should be left to those of unsound mind or the foolhardy. This has been said before, but there is no harm in repeating these words of caution.

I bid you good night and happy times ahead, especially for the hoilday season.
Peace on Earth and goodwill to all men (and women). Merry Xmas. Tis a week away

Restored!

Yesterday, my home phone died. It was already dying several days before but we only noticed on Sunday when my aunt called my handphone to say that my grandma had been trying to call our house phone the whole morning. The SingTel people came yesterday and proclaimed our line dead and that we would need another guy to come and reattach the phone cable to the mains outside. Apparently the previous owner did not (or maybe it did to the proud new owner of a HDB flat) have the sense to discreetly hide all the cables behind a nice cornice which made moving potential fire hazards an impossibility unless we got someone to knock down our walls.

Basically what they did was to create a new line that now runs near the floor instead of near the ceiling. There was a bit if drilling and hammering and I sincerely hoped the neighbours don't mind. I hate drilling and living in a house that is subjected to such sounds that would no doubt annoy others more than it did me is even more distasteful than the noise.

However, enough about that. I would have blogged this sooner but the guy only fixed the line just this evening. There are a number of weird things that would happen to you if you live near your school. Oh yes, I know I've 'graduated' but seriously, what do you do when you happen to meet your teacher (with husband in tow) when you've only just stepped out of your blk's lift, still bleary eyed from sleep?? I gwaked, smiled, and waved. I THINK. I can't seem to recall that surreal moment. That afternoon, I went to Pasir Ris to cycle. My sis's kite got stuck in a coconut tree. Haha. It would have been very funny if she wasn't sulking so much, or pissed off that we wanted to go cycling instead of kite flying. However, life's like that see, and by the time we got home no one was really mad at each other anymore. I think it has partly to do with the fact that, we were not only too tired, but prolonged arguing can just be as exhaustive as cycling uphill all afternoon. It is also bad for health.

It's good to be connected again. My house is definitely not tech friendly either, and I thought I was bad enough.

Saturday Shopping

One would think that by now, even the most thick skinned moron would not go shopping on Saturdays. Saturdays are the worst days for shopping - especially when the place you are going to features some form of sale. In any case, I'm only complaining because I didn't find anything nice to buy. The satisfaction of shopping comes from purchasing something. It is also satisfying only when you don't have annoying relations who complain at length about shopping. Hence, here is warning no.1: Never ever bring a reluctant shopper out, esp on Sat.

However, today was kinda nice. I liked just getting out of my house. It's amzing isn't it, that holiday feel. Shopping, slacking, more slacking...the only thing missing to get the best out of a holiday seems to me to be a PURPOSE to all these wonderful wonderful things. I remember how it was when school was a daily chore... ...now I miss it. It's so strange how the grass on the opposite field always looks so much greener. Anyway, today was mostly a mad rush about town to buy things that do not involve me, like a new mattress protector not for my bed, and THINGS that do not interest me but my sis. I cannot find a violet jacket anywhere. Looks as though I have to settle for PINK, which I detest. Unfortunately I have had at least 2 shop assistant/co-owner tell me I look nice in pink (bleah) and I suppose if it is only an accessory I might just go with it. OK, enough rubbish about me...am too tired to blog properly.

P.S. Never get too excited when you see the latest release of your fav anime. Pls always note carefully what sort of subtitles they use.

A New Post

Yesterday was prom. The banner on stage was hideous even if everything else (aka the hotel decor) was lovely. Black everything, roses on table, mirrors everywhere, and chandeliers (I suppose they can be counted as such) decorated with bronze leaves and vine "branches". Thanks goodness the waiter/waitress parading thing was kept to a discreet minimum. It's so much more elegant that way. Ok, enough on the pointless bit. Well...it's not really pointless. If I own a palace I know where to ask for int designers.

Picked up Jane via cab. My dad gave the cab driver a whole lot of complicated and useless junk oops. I meant directions, and I was forced to point the poor fellow to Jane's door. Seriously speaking, you shouldn't tell your daughter's taxi driver to drive her to Daisy Park when she wants to go to Daisy Road. Took some photos. People watched. Rolled eyes at deejay. It's what I do. There seems to be some unspoken rule that prom deejays use horrible ice breakers. Haha. Nah. He wasn't so bad actually. It got better, and one must after all excuse our dismal location way south of the VIP table. There were lots of people in clubbing attire. I wonder why. -_- Some with better fashion sense and sense of situation were dressed in a prom-clubbing hyrid which worked. I mean..the place IS decked in ebony. p.y. crashed. =)

After prom was a nice quite chat at the lounge. I assume that it is a lounge since it comes in the same colonial black themed decor and really really nice sofas complete with cushions. It was also the sort of place which youenvision along with cigars. Had tea. Don't really like nuts though. I was with the sane people Ms Kwok & Jane - The rest decided to go home (logical at the time of the night) or go clubbing at this place near Bugis (logical theoretically). I do not intend to be canned sardines. It is something that has never appealed to me. Probably never will. Oh yes...I still owe someone a drink. DON'T come clamouring up to me though, would be imposters. I happen to know whom I owe things to. =p

Tea and chat was really nice. Thanks for tea and everything else.

By the way...the clouds were lovely today. White, grey, lilac, silver and pink. Plus the blue of the sky...you don't get them like that unless it rained, and then was hot for a while before cooling again.

Urban Jungle

A caterpillar (the hideous green variety) managed to find its way up my shirt yesterday night. Don't ask me how it got there because I have no idea. I only saw it when I was in the lift. Knocked it off with my house keys. I don't want to complain, but seriously, Singapore is NOT a place where you meet many caterpillars, unless of course you happen to be in the Zoo, where they deliberately deck the Fragile Forest exhibit with those appalling creatures. Is there some kind of ill fortue that follows me around? Or is there some rule that says the more you fear them, the more they follow you around, dropping onto shoulders and shirt fronts and being made pets by younger siblings?

Today, I walked around with my new heels. I bought them for prom, but really no one in their right minds would wear heels that high. They are bad for your feet, lousy shopping footwear, dangerous on bumpy terrain (like old tar roads and brick roads) and utterly useless unless for improving posture. If you walk on grass, your heels sink into the soil, thanks partly to the wet weather of course, but still... Today. I nearly toppled down the stairs on them, and then after that, I scrapped the heel when I stepped onto the metal grill of the drains. =( Hey. At least now, with some practice, I can walk to Grand Hyatt knowing I would have less chnces to fall flat on my face.

Those heels...and those monstrous denizens of trees and bushes and vegetables your mother buys home from the market...leaves one to think - Urban jungle? I live at the edge of civilisation.

P.S. I know it's duh but yup...comp fixed. More or less.

An update for all the good it'll do

Let's see... what have I been doing? On Thursday, I met up with Cheryl and Ailing to go see our old teachers at Beatty to notify them on our intentions to sign up for relief teaching. We met up with our English teacher, Ms Lim. It was an amazing coincidence that she was in school anyway. The security guards refused to let us in. I know they are only doing their job, which is good, but that meant that we were stuck standing at the school porch until Ms Lim rescued us.

The visit let to me realise that truly, I've forgotten how much I once knew of my classmates. Cheryl bullied (OK...asked nicely) a Beatty student into finding ANY teacher for us, and that was how we actually met up with our English teacher in the first place. It's shocking really. Either I've forgotten or never realised that Cheryl has such a... ...forceful personality. I don't mean it in a bad way people. It just means she is determined and resourceful. Goodness. I think I missed out on a lot not getting to know my classmates better... =)

Friday was a big dim sum lunch at Crystal Jade. It was yummy of course, though the duck with green noodles was a tad on the strange side. The duck also got stuck in my teeth, and I hate food that does that. Spent the rest of the day shopping in Orchard [Got my prom dress Yay!] and a new bike. My sis was with me cos she wanted the bike and I needed a dress. Happily, I spent only a short hour and a half at Wisma picking out my dress. That is an unusually short time picking out a dress for me. Me, the fickle freak. Funnily enough, my sis was patient enough to walk around and watch me try out clothes. Decided on a dress finally and then hopped on the train to Plaza Singapura to buy the bike from Carrefour. We actually made it home in time to eat our dinner.

Now, all I need to do is get my shoes and all the other peripheries. Or whatever they are called.

By the way, I suggest that u all try and get your hands on Spirits in the Wires. It is such a cool book! The starting is a bit slow, with the author trying to introduce all the magical terms and characters [and there are a lot of them], but it is still ok in general. I liked the idea of spirits in the Internet. At least it brings the spiritworld closer to reality.

Tears of Laughter

WARNING: READERS BEWARE!

SPOILERS AHEAD. AND I MEAN MAJOR SPOILERS. DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU HAVE WATCHED HARRY POTTER & THE GOBLET OF FIRE (or are not allowed or are not planning to watch it)







I do not think I've ever laughed so hard before. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was just amazing! I don't know, maybe its just that I might be finally getting used to the movie franchise or something. Anyway, excellent job all round I think. For a movie that was based on a world-famous book, I think the mass appeal method still works best. The previous movie, which was admittedly a little on the arty side is still one of my favourites in the series of movies, but Goblet really topped it because I felt that the movie captured the essence of the book really well, right down to it's very very English roots. [I think a British director makes all the diff] The opening strains of the Harry Potter theme music was approapriately eerie. (Yes, Kappa, I preferred listening to the dialogue but ok... soundtrack wasn't too bad) Oh yes, and as a book that dwindled slowly from fun, laughter and slapstick to horror, it takes an expert who is subtle enough to blend the two very different genres together, with the fine echoes of mounting darkness always ready to leap out unexpectedly at the audience.

I never thought that I'll be freaked out by a Harry Potter movie, but the first few scenes were truly spine-chilling. It followed closely to the book of course, and now, after some helpful prompting from Hash and Aaron, was reminded of reading about the muggle murder. I found that I'd imagined the scene to be something very much like this, which is good because that made me even more impressed with it. Nagini is cool, in an evil villian's pet sort of way.

Loved the Yule Ball scene. Poor Ron. It was so funny and I was laughing really hard. The scene of Ron moaning in distress at the sight of himself dresseed in the mouldering old robes is utterly hilarious. ["I look like my great-aunt Tessie!"] Lol. Lord Voldemort looked the way I had envisioned him to look like way back was when I was in Primary 12 when I first came across Harry Potter. Whooo. The image really stuck with me all through the years.

All in all, I think I cangive the movie a 7-7.5 rating, out of 10. Go watch it if you haven't! I think everyone enjoyed it and if you haven't gone, I'll say hurry and catch it!!!

P.S. The dragons are awesome. Not big and clumsy but really flexible and dangerous. Just the way I like em.

Much Better

Am feeling much better. Feel more emotionally stable. Health wise, I can't say. Think I've really caught the cold damn it. Great. After feeling shitty last Friday (seeing Tom Stoppard didn't make me feel any better) went home after Lit and found that nose decided to leak blood. Yay. Eew. The memory isn't disgusting but the thought of a bloody nose is. Now, I've improved to possessing a leaky nose reminiscient of the leaky tap at home.

Anyways, I'll be doing a boring report of my trip to the library in months!! Yes! It was lovely since I found 2 out of that very long reading list in tht prev post. It's Charles de Lint's Spirits in the Wires and Middlesex (Jeffery Eugenides I think; didn't bother to look properly yet). Both of them, along with this 3-in-1 trilogy were enormous heavy and utterly cumbersome. Ended up loading them all the way to KFC and then around Serangoon buying food home. Huh... I must remind all librarians that however hardy hard covers are, they sure are not user friendly. They are muderous weapons. You can kill if you hit someone with them.

The 3rd which coincidentally isn't on my list of to read bks is the "Riddle-Master" trilogy by Patricia A. McKillip. It draws on the LOTR and the love of riddling that is especially important in "The Hobbit", which is the prequel to LOTR. Sadly, there isn't a way to join in the riddling since you'll have absoulutely no idea of the history of the land which is quite obviously like Middle-Earth - make believe. However, that doesn't mean the riddles are insignificant, on the other hand, the riddles are really what drives the plot onwards.

Nevertheless, it is highly entertaining trying to keep one step ahead of the plot and solve the ultimate riddle spanning the 3 books, which is umm. I won't tell you what it is. Lovely book though, which also draws on typical viking-nish scenery of tall, craggy mountains, vast halls of Kings, dressed in substantial furs against the icy backdrop. Those at least were the most memorable scenes for me. Fellow readers are free to dispute of course.

However, the ending was a bit sucky. I felt that it was rather abrupt and the battle scenes passed too quickly over. You get the feel that the author is trying to condense an epic into too short a tale. However apart from that, I enjoyed it - a good old-fashioned fantasy tale.

Cynics. The modern world and the impossibility of goodwill

I'm pissed off. If this sounds like an impartial post then YES. I don't think I'll like to sound civil anymore. Somebody once told me that the world has become increasingly cynical, that it is hard to find someone who can still believe in the good in people, that all anyone sees nowadays are the flaws first of all, and most of all. It's almost as if prejudice has become a daily thing. We mistrust so easily. Far harder it is to gain another's trust. Locked doors behind smiles. If people say that few good men exist in the world today, then it is because this world is such that we do not care to see the goodness in people. It's a rat race man. Who damn cares about others?? Self comes first. Some say looking through rose coloured glasses is escapism. Are we then to lock oursleves in a mundane world then? We all need an outlet. Others rush headlong but I like to take it slow. However that isn't going to happen (Slowing down I mean). Not now anyway.

After two years at NY. I wonder what you all think. I feel like I haven't changed, and yet at the same time, I think that my life has altered beyond recognition too. More scared and less scared. I'm not that girl from Sec 4 now am I? That comfortable place where I knew my place and was happy in it.

I wonder if it is so hard to see the good in others. Or try probing beyond the surface. Then again, who am I indeed to say this when my principles are less than sound? It's not like I've tried to know others. I'm not very forthcoming. I too am a prejudiced person. I stick to my opinions and don't change them easily. Or maybe I don't and that's my problem. Am I too agreeable or something?

Just this morning, I argued with my sis. I suppose it's nothing to her since she tried to placate me with the pet hamsters less than 10 mins after shouting at me. Does she think I'm not angry? Am I forgiving because I don't destroy possesions the way certain family do when angry? Or the fact that I don't retaliate when hit? I hate fighting. I hate aimless quibbling. I just want to curl up with a good book and is that so wrong? I'm sorry. I don't think I've forgotten all the nasty things she said or things she accused me off, like waking up at 7 to read.

I woke up to buy breakfast. Because my mother wakes early. So i need to get breakfast early right. Wrong. I get accused of being addicted. Look at yourself please. Who spent her finals with her XBox? I see that happening for the O's too. Of course, all my mother did when we are both shouting at each other is to remind my sis that she hasn't washed the hamster cage yet. I can't think of a worse time to remind angry children about their most hated chores. Yup. Go on. Add fuel to the fire. Go on. But I don't need to egg ppl on. They do it themselves oh so voluntarily. Parents never did understand their children. Neither then do siblings.

But I can only hope that there are people out there who are not cynics. They must be considered a rare species. Almost extinct. Endangered. Let's hope they multiply soon.

Relief [or not. Lot's to do]

YES! All the evil evil papers are over! Well. All anyway except Lit. Please Lit...you don't want to make me hate you too... Now let's see. Finally, I have time to think about something other than the A's.

Yes. Free!!! Let me list the things I've wanted to do after the exam or at least continue from before my exam.

Hmm.
Play Pokemon on my sis's gameboy. My poor character is stuck out at sea since a month ago.

Read. There are a list of to-read things:
Douglas Adam's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Turns out it is a series.
Charles de Lint's umm. New book. Can't remember what's it called.
Diana Wynne Jones's Conrad's Fate. [So I'm reading kid's stuff. So what. (Glares accusingly at anyone who dares to even let out a snigger)]
Can't remember her name's book. Think it was about basilisks.
American Gods [I wonder if Anansi Boys is out in the libraries yet?]
Tom Stoppard's plays and Waiting for Godot if I can find it. Does anyone want to go to Esplanade Library?
Arthur Miller's The Crucible. And some others. Maybe the Glass Menagerie. Can't recall...
START on this book I bought long ago because Kappa said it was mentioned in the OC. Looks good though. About WWII and comics.
Middlesex. Saw it in Borders long ago. Maybe I'll borrow it too. That is if I can find all of the above except for the one I bought alr.

Play badminton. Does anyone want to??

Watch Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Watch Chronicles of Narnia

Watch anything else that looks good and if I have the money after prom shopping

Prom shopping. Shit. What to wear...what to wear...need concealer first of all. I look like a freak after 3 straight days without proper sleep and too much tension [Maybe by prom I'll look better]

Then there is still my hair. My shoes. Makeup. Ugh.

Buy VCDs. I want Howl's Moving Castle. Is it out yet?? The movie was ages ago...the idiots.

Book shopping. Or just general shopping. =p

Go find a job. How boring. Sigh.

OK. That's it for now. I'm quite happy with the list. Lot's to do. Prom shopping and Harry Potter are of the most urgent obviously. I'll just keep all these in mind. Haha.

Dream

I had a dream last night. It probably had to do with the big dinner I had last night. My mum cooked this huge amount of meat, potatoes and carrot thing, and then she got pissed off when my dad brought home otah and chicken wings despite her telling him not to. Ah well. It is funny how when you complain you haven't had a really good dream for a really long time you end up with a demi-nightmare.

Let's see, like all good nightmares, one starts off with a pleasant enough dream. I was literally in paradise; dreamscape was filled with trees, weedy pools of clear water and an underwater glass house. [There was a sea turtle swimming over head for some reason] There was even a sparkling waterfall and a wooden suspension bridge [cool]. Then after a nice time 'exploring' this place, I end up stuck with 3 goons who somehow running from the law. The 3 goons [a guy with a beard, a young noble lady and a kid] and me as silent observer end up in the biggest goon's [bearded guy] flooded family vault. I'm sure we've all seen enough horror flicks to know what they put in underground vaults. The two grown up goons are having an argument in which the lady is extremely miffed that the biggest goon, instead of helping her gain an audience with the Duke has led them to this soggy and ulu place. Apparently the lady wants to seek Justice for her brother who is igoing to be unjustly executed for some minor crime. The noble lady is obviously trying to rescue her brother.

Sadly, while this may not be very scary sounding to most normal people is highly disturbing to me. For one thing, this sounds like a screwed up version of M4M [Measure for Measure, William Shakespeare]. Oh no oh no. I'm not the sort who has nightmares about schoolwork. Now I get this. Along with dancing skeleton ancestors of the bearded goon. Oh no. Oh no.

The summary of M4M goes that this is a Duke that is travelling incognito to spy on a potentially corrupt high ranking official. The official who does not know that he is being 'tested' goes on to blunder in the Duke's absence, by sending out harsh penalties for crimes that the slacker Duke had ignored while in power. With the official's new rules, a young noble called Claudio is to be executed for impregnating his soon to be married girlfriend. His sister, Isabella goes to the official and begs for her brother's life. Hoorah. Then when the corrupt official says that in exchange for her brother's freedom, she has to have a one night stand with him. She refuses duh, and then there is this messy convulated thing abt meeting the Duke in disguise, the potential dues ex machina, knight-in-shining-armour etc etc. YAWN.

Anyway, all's well end's well so they say.

Watched the Oliver Parker version of Othello [not the game; it's the play] today. There was this minor character with really hideous balloonish pants and white tights that provided untimely comic relief. If only I had a pic...it was funny, even if it wasn't supposed to be.